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Union welcomes Association of Colleges' U-turn on pay talks

29 May 2018
| last updated: 4 June 2018

UCU has welcomed a U-turn from the Association of Colleges (AoC) over pay talks for staff in further education. At the start of the month AoC said that it would not discuss a pay claim for 2018/19 while UCU members were still in dispute at some colleges.

That threat prompted unions who represent staff in colleges to write to the AoC saying that a refusal to discuss the pay claim was an 'unnecessary provocation' and warned AoC that it risked undermining its "credibility and relevance to the sector" if it would not talk with the unions.

AoC has now said it will receive the 2018/19 pay claim from the unions. UCU said it was pleased AoC had changed its mind and now was the time for the colleges' representatives to come back to the table prepared to discuss a fair pay deal for staff.

UCU members at five colleges* are due to take strike action for up to four days between 5 and 12 June in a row over pay and conditions.

College

Strike dates

City and Islington College

5/6/7/8 June

Westminster Kingsway College

5/6/7/8 June

Havering College

5/7/8/12 June

Hackney Community College

6/11 June

Tower Hamlets College

6/11 June

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: 'We are pleased AoC has reversed its decision and will now accept the unions' pay claim. We always think the best place to resolve any issue is at the negotiating table. It is time for them to come to the table with a decent pay offer for staff who have seen their pay held down for too long.'